2012 Excellence in Feline Research Award

Niels Pedersen, DVM, PhD, is the winner of the 2012 Excellence in Feline Research Award from Winn Feline Foundation and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF). Dr. Pedersen was recognized due in large part to his work as a pioneer in infectious diseases in cats having produced 220 research publications and authored a number of textbooks on feline husbandry and infectious diseases. As a member of the faculty at the School of Veterinary Medicine at University of California at Davis, Pedersen is currently a distinguished professor and director of both the Center for Companion Animal Health and Veterinary Genetics Laboratory.

Winn President, Vicki Thayer, DVM, DABVP, made the announcement and was at the presentation of the $2,500 award, given along with a crystal cat award at the annual convention of the American Veterinary Medical Association held August 7th in San Diego.

Dr. Thayer commented that “Dr. Pedersen is well known for his support for research into feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and working with volunteers at SOCK FIP (Save Our Cats and Kittens) which currently focuses on FIP research. The Winn Board of Directors is pleased to honor Dr. Pedersen for a lifetime of achievement and as a long time friend of Winn and supporter of our mission. We were also pleased to have him present information on FIP research at Winn’s Annual Symposium in 2011 to excellent reviews.”

Dr. Pedersen, Winn past president Joan Miller, 1981

According to Dr. Pedersen, his most satisfying achievements have involved the creation of the Center for Comparative Medicine, The Center for Companion Animal Health and the Koret Shelter Medicine Program. His single most rewarding experience has been directing the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL) at UC-Davis  since 1997 and using the resources of the VGL to develop a broad based and internationally recognized veterinary genetics research program.

Pedersen graduated from UC Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine in 1967 and interned in small animal medicine and surgery at Colorado State University. He was awarded a PhD in Experimental Pathology and Immunology from the John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University in 1972. Dr. Pedersen was active in clinics for 17 years, specializing in infectious and immunologic diseases of dogs and cats. He taught infectious diseases, clinical immunology and feline medicine for 22 years.

He holds honorary doctorates from the Universities of Zurich and Utrecht and has received several awards for his research on feline infectious diseases. Although he has worked on many different diseases of cats and dogs, his lifelong interest has been with feline infectious peritonitis, which continues to both excite and frustrate him with its complexities.

Winn Feline Foundation and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation are pleased to collaborate in this effort to focus attention on the importance of feline health studies and the committed researchers who conduct these lifesaving investigations into the prevention and care of feline disease for “Every Cat, Every Day.”

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library 
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